United States (US) President Joe Biden on Thursday welcomed the decision of Yemen’s warring parties to extend the two-month truce reached in April for two more months. Biden also praised Saudi Arabia for taking the initiative to bring an end to the seven-year-old war, with ties between Washington and Riyadh at one of the lowest points in history.
“The last two months in Yemen, thanks to the truce brokered in April, have been among the most peaceful periods since this terrible war began seven years ago,” the White House quoted the president as saying. Biden noted that thousands of lives have been saved and humanitarian aid has reached the country as a result of the truce.
The U.S. reiterates its strong support for the efforts of @OSE_Yemen, which have resulted in the most significant progress toward peace in yrs in #Yemen. We welcome today’s flight btw Sana’a & Cairo & appreciate Egypt, Yemen, & Saudi Arabia’s efforts to facilitate these flights. https://t.co/CDIEAMAHvf
— U.S. State Dept - Near Eastern Affairs (@StateDept_NEA) June 2, 2022
Against this backdrop, he hailed the extension of the ceasefire, saying it is “important that we work from here to make it permanent.” He added, “I urge all parties to move expeditiously towards a comprehensive and inclusive peace process. Our diplomacy will not rest until a permanent settlement is in place.”
Biden said the extension would not have been possible without “cooperative diplomacy across the region.” In particular, he praised Saudi Arabia for demonstrating “courageous leadership” and “taking initiatives early on to endorse and implement terms of the UN-led truce.”
.@StateDeptSpox discusses the announcement by @UN Special Envoy to extend the truce in Yemen by an additional two months. “This extension brings further relief and hope to millions of Yemenis. Yemen has the opportunity to continue this progress and choose peace instead of war." pic.twitter.com/HWd3relAkm
— Department of State (@StateDept) June 2, 2022
Biden’s remarks come amid reports that he plans to travel to Riyadh by the end of the month to seek a reset of ties with the US’ oldest ally in the Middle East. US-Saudi ties have witnessed a significant downturn since Biden took office in January 2021. Washington blamed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) for murdering journalist Jamal Khashoggi, imposed sanctions on Saudi officials, and stopped providing military aid citing the Kingdom’s human rights violations in Yemen.
The Saudi government retaliated by opting to not ramp up oil production despite repeated US requests in light of rising gas prices following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Moreover, Saudi Arabia has also increased stepped up economic, defence, and political cooperation with US’ rival China.
2. Violations of the ceasefire are taking place, but even these are not all what they seem. In Marib, for example, some believe shelling is intended to verify compliance and gauge positions of the other side, not make gains.
— Scott Paul (@ScottTPaul) June 2, 2022
Biden also thanked the governments of Oman, Egypt, and Jordan for playing a “central role” in maintaining the deal. “The US will remain engaged in this process over the coming weeks and months,” he said, adding that “our friends can rely on the United States as the security partner of choice.”
The President’s remarks follow the announcement made by the United Nations (UN) that Yemen’s Houthi rebels and the Saudi-backed Yemeni government committed to extending the truce by another two months.
Saying that Yemenis have experienced “tangible benefits” as a result of the truce, UN Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg said that all conflicting parties have been “meeting face-to-face under UN auspices for the first time in years to make progress” and “implementing nationwide military de-escalation mechanisms.”
In April, the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition agreed to a UN-sponsored two-month truce for the first time since 2016. Both sides undertook several confidence-building measures to ensure that the deal succeeds. Crucially, Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi stepped down to make way for a Presidential Council in an effort to appease the Houthis. Meanwhile, the Houthis released thousands of prisoners who fought for the Yemeni government.
#Statement | The Kingdom of #Saudi Arabia welcomes the announcement by the #UN Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg of an agreement to extend the current truce in #Yemen for two additional months. pic.twitter.com/WeVVXr4pyN
— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) June 2, 2022
Grundberg commended all parties for taking conciliatory measures and agreeing to renew the truce. “The truce represents a significant shift in the trajectory of the war and has been achieved through responsible and courageous decision making by the parties,” he emphasised. “I count on the parties’ continued cooperation in good faith to build trust and take meaningful steps towards providing a peaceful future for all Yemenis,” the UN official went on to say.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry also welcomed the announcement, saying the move would benefit thousands of Yemenis. The Kingdom vowed to “support all efforts exerted by the UN to reach a sustainable political solution to the Yemeni crisis.”
We welcome today’s announcement by the @UN on the extension of the truce in Yemen. This extension is another important step forward toward peace and will bring further relief to millions of Yemenis.
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) June 2, 2022
The truce’s renewal was also welcomed by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who extended Washington’s support for an “inclusive, durable resolution to the conflict that alleviates the suffering of Yemenis, that empowers them to determine the future of their country without foreign interference, and that addresses Yemenis’ calls for justice and accountability.”
The unrest in Yemen began in 2014, after a civil war broke out between the Houthis and the internationally recognised Yemeni government, which was ousted in the same year by the rebels. In 2015, a Saudi-led coalition, including the UAE, launched a major offensive in Yemen by conducting airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas. Since then, international efforts to halt the fighting have largely failed. The war has killed more than 130,000 people, with the United Nations calling the conflict in Yemen “the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.” In this respect, the truce represents a rare ray of light following years of warfare.